Where You Decide To Stay
by GrabTheSpotlight
Summary: John is back from a consuming job that takes from his family time. He wants to reconnect after not seeing his family for so long. They have fun.


**Just a short little one-shot as a birthday present for my wonderful friend. Happy birthday, my dude. Forgive Google Translate Spanish and spelling mistakes my midnight brain can't be bothered to check again. Love to you. Enjoy.**

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I cleaned my brushes at the sink, watching the water change colour as it ran down the sink, taking the paint with it. I chuckled at the sound of Pip laughing in the next room, most likely watching cartoons. I needed to feed Tobillo. She squawked in my ear, lightly nipping at the skin on my bare shoulder. I turned my head and glared at her, her brightly coloured feathers batting me in my face. I rolled my eyes and lifted my hand for her to jump down and took her to her cage in the living room where Pip was happily sat eating apple slices.

"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag…" I hummed to myself. A song I never failed to sing when feeding my bird.

Sometimes, if I was really lucky, she'd sing along. In her own mimicky way. It was adorable. I loved her, as much as Alex detested her. But it was fair because he got to keep that God forsaken, demon cat. It was always scratching everything. My beautiful chairs torn to shreds. I locked the bird cage and sat beside my son on the sofa.

"What are we watchin', baby?" I asked, pulling my legs up, knees tucked under my chin.

He shrugged his shoulders, shoving an apple slice into his mouth. I rolled my eyes and tried to work it out. I recognised the style… wait, I knew those characters.

"Wait, are you watching… Futurama?"

He nodded and I groaned. Was Futurama really age appropriate? I didn't have a clue, probably not. I'd let Alex decide on that one. For now I sighed and watched with him, laughing along at the jokes that flew over Philip's head. The cat walked in and I made a passive noise of disgust. He rubbed against the sofa and jumped up, settling on top of my feet. I rolled my eyes as it bumped into my leg, looking for some sort of affection. I gave him a rub behind the ear, but not an affectionate one, because I didn't like him, just the sort you'd give to a random cat you found. No bond formed. We weren't friends. I had the scars to prove it.

"Eres tan jodidamente insufrible. Odio que siempre invadas mi espacio vital," I muttered to myself. I really hated this fucking cat. Screw you, Charlemagne.

I jumped at the sound of the front door unlocking, getting up and sending the cat flying, an unappreciative hiss following. Dumb cat.

"It's just Papi, daddy."

"I know. Silly daddy."

I sat back down as Alex entered the room, work bag slung over his shoulder. His hair escaped his ponytail, disheveled and curly from the sweat forming around his face.

He looked at us and smiled, "hey."

Philip ran to give him a hug, squeezing his waist. He dumped his bag by his feet and embraced our kid, kneeling down for better hug potential. I hugged my legs and watched them for a bit, feeling satisfied knowing that they were my family and they were safe. Even the dumb cat. Alex fell next to me once Pip had settled back down in the armchair he'd claimed when we bought it. I leaned my head on his shoulder and took in his scent, musky.

"Babe?" he whispered.

"Mhm?"

"Why is our kid watching Futurama?"

I bit my lip. _Here we go. _

"Uh, it's not that bad? Is it? Really?"

He looked me dead in the eyes, "John, baby, love of my life… it's Futurama."

I rolled my eyes, "come on, it's not like he's gonna be screaming 'bite my shiny metal ass' every five minutes, is it? Don't be a drama queen."

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" Tobillo repeated.

Pip giggled and pulled a face in the direction of Tobi's cage. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the rant about how terrible my bird was.

"I hate that bird," he started. It always started like that. "It's so loud and obnoxious-"

"-and you're not?"

"Okay, shut up. Charlemagne would never do me like this."

"Oh, don't even start on that fucking demon."

"Language! Child present!"

Pip carried on eating his apple, not caring one bit about the bickering on the other side of the room.

"Like he hasn't heard it all before. The point is, Tobillo is the only reason I get up in the morning, so by cursing her name you are essentially saying you're happy for me to be depressed and never speak to you. Ever. No more sex. Because you're happy for me to not have a bird."

"Now who's the drama queen?"

I kissed his cheek, "I missed you."

He hummed, "I bet you did."

My leg was starting to cramp so I stood up, starting up the coffee machine for Alex, making do with an instant hot cocoa for Pip and I.

I poked my head around the living room door, "have you eaten, 'Lex?" From the guilty look on his face I assumed he hadn't and took the liberty of answering for him, "right, no then. There's some chilli in the fridge. Want me to warm it up for you?"

"Please?" he asked.

I pulled the tupperware - filled with the chilli from the dinner I made for us - from the fridge and left it in the microwave for two minutes, finishing off our drinks and trying ever so carefully to not burn myself. I brought the drinks first, leaving Alex's on the side table next to him and gave Pip's - hot cocoa expertly crafted with cream, marshmallows and sprinkles - directly to him, obviously making sure it wasn't too hot before I did so.

Returning to the kitchen, I dished up Alex's dinner, making a crater with the rice to put the chilli into. He thanked me for it and ate. We watched more cartoons, my hot cocoa slowly disappearing, much to my disappointment. It was really good. I was a hot cocoa artist. I made awesome hot cocoa. Way better than Alex's. I could even make instant cocoa work.

"So are you finished work now?" Alex asked, shovelling some of the chilli into his mouth.

I nodded, pulling back my hair into a low bun, "yeah. Two weeks, then I'm on desk duty until they decide I'm good again. Maybe I'll ask for permanent desk duty. Which means I'll be home. I'm just as good out of the field."

The cat jumped onto me again and I groaned. His tail batted me in the face as he tried to get closer to Alex's food.

"Get off."

Alex rolled his eyes, "I can't right now, I'm eating."

I bit my lip, fighting the urge to burst out with laughter. We'd not had time to spend with each other in the past few months, me being away from home with work, but now we had two weeks of bliss, being at home at the same time. I pushed the cat off of my lap making him grip his claws into my leg, I yelped at the sting and didn't even feel guilty at the satisfying plop noise he made as he landed on the floor. Alex tutted at me.

"Demon cat," I muttered. "Spawn of Satan."

"You know, the Egyptians worshipped cats."

I teased, "funnily enough, I think that's the first time you've told me."

Charlemagne curled up next to Philip and I couldn't help but smile, it was cute. Even if it was the cat. My boy made it better. We finished watching cartoons and I took Pip up to bed, reading him a bedtime story for the first time in months. I watched his eyes flutter between being open and shut, obviously resisting the need to sleep. When at last his head fell onto my shoulder, I shut the book and kissed his forehead, flicking off the lights and shutting the door behind me.

Alex met me halfway down the hallway. He was left in his sweats, shirt no doubt dumped in the bathroom. He looked tired and weary, bags under his eyes prominent.

"He asleep?"

"Uh huh, deep sleep."

He snaked his arms around my waist and burrowed his face into the crook of my neck, squeezing me tighter than he would normally have done.

"You okay?" I asked.

He nodded, "I'm just happy you're home. I love you."

I kissed the top of his head and hugged him tighter, sensing that he needed reassurance, "hey, I love you, too, so much."

He lowered his voice, adopting a husky undertone, "bed?"

"Mhm," I hummed.

The bedroom door seemed closer as I maneuvered Alex backwards until we were inside, shutting the door behind me. His lips were on mine instantly, pushing me against the wall. Without hesitation, planting a soft yet possessive kiss on my neck. I swallowed back a moan, knowing Philip was only in the next room, not wanting to have to explain that. That's what Futurama was for. I held his hips in my hands, guiding him away from the problem wall. Way too thin. He sat on the edge of the bed, letting me crane my neck down to press my lips against his cheek, moving along his jawline to his mouth. He'd let his stubble grow since I last saw him, scratching at my face. I smirked against him, biting his lip.

His leg rubbed the backs of my own, pulling me closer to him. I took the hint and took my shirt off, tossing it into the laundry basket - where Alex _could _have put his, but for the sake of the moment I decided to let it go. He tugged me on top of him and I fell with an 'oomph' sound followed by giggling. I caught myself from crushing him, hands either side of him. He looked pretty from this angle: hair everywhere, grin wide and toothy, lust in his eyes. I stopped to look at him, taking in everything about him. My wonderful, beautiful husband. I didn't know how I'd coped not seeing him everyday.

"C'mon, my lips are getting cold," he pouted.

I rolled my eyes, "I'll take care of that for you."

He kicked a leg over my back, bringing our skin together, wrapped his arms around my neck. I could feel the scars on his lips as I kissed him, no doubt from where he'd gnawed at them when thinking. I brushed my tongue over them, seeking entrance. He eagerly allowed it, moaning quietly into my mouth as the kiss deepened.

His hands roamed freely over my body as we kissed, first rubbing up and down my back before moving to my chest where I was sure he could feel the heavy beating of my heart, racing as a result of the thrill from being married to him. Needed to make him feel good. I broke away from the kiss and moved down the bed, tugging at his sweats.

I flicked my tongue over the slit of his cock, lapping at the precum waiting there. I almost laughed at the sound of his head falling back onto the bed, the low hum from his throat. I sucked teasingly, drawing it out, wanting to make it good. I swirled my tongue around, slowly starting to take more of him in my mouth. I got to around halfway before sucking back off, hearing him try to muffle his moans. I did it again and again until I took all of him in, rubbing the inside of his thigh. I hummed around him, eliciting a groan from above me, hand finding my hair.

I undressed fully with my spare hand, leaving us both naked and hungry for each other. Grabbing the lube from the bottom drawer, I coated my fingers and teased his hole, waiting just long enough before pressing one in. His walls tensed around the digit, muscles wanting what it hadn't had for so long. I worked him open slowly, stealing kisses between each added finger. Waiting until I was sure he was ready, I coated myself with the lube and pressed into him, holding still for him to relax into it. He pulled my face to his and pushed our foreheads together, eyes closed. I kissed him, loving him.

Thrusts started as slow rolls, not picking up much speed, going deep. Knew what he liked. Knew what he needed. His hands wandered over my back, moving until he was grabbing my ass. I laughed against him.

"I like your butt."

I chuckled, "I should think so."

We finished in muffled moans of pleasure, collapsing by each other's sides. He held me tight to him, tighter than in the hall.

"Are you sure you're okay, Alex?" I whispered into the dark.

His forehead was warm pressed against my chest, mumbling what I couldn't hear. But I could tell he was upset. I rubbed his arm and kissed the top of his head.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"I really missed you," he sobbed, "I don't- I don't want you to go back. I hate it."

I shushed him and held him as his body shook, "it's okay, love, I'm not going back. I'm finished. I'm home. Hopefully for good."

He cried himself to sleep in my arms, snoring softly. I flinched at a bang from outside. Probably a car backfiring. Most likely a car backfiring. But it made me jump. I slipped out of bed and pulled on a shirt and sweats. _Maybe it wasn't a car backfiring. Maybe it was a gunshot. What if it's a gunshot. Gunfire. That could mean an intruder. _

A gate slammed shut outside. I couldn't tell if it was ours or our neighbour's. I couldn't put down the doubt. The paranoia creeping up behind me. I needed to check. I had to be _sure _it was just paranoia.

I steadied my trembling hand on the wall as I stepped downstairs, holding my breath as the sweat dripped down my face. The house seemed like alien territory in the dark of the night, like evil was lurking in the silhouette of the armchair, a monster instead of the washing machine… a person in place of the coat stand. I bit down my anxieties and blindly reached for the light switch. The armchair returning to just that, an armchair. The washing machine used for nothing more than washing clothes. The coat stand as alive as a morgue. I squinted at the sudden light of the late hour and stumbled toward the front door, double-checking the locks. I repeated the process with the back door, then with the windows. Mostly satisfied, I cracked open a beer and sat at the kitchen table, watching the window of the door and following shapes created by my insecure mind. Nothing more than chasing empty illusions built to scare me.

I jumped at the cat brushing its fur against the back of my leg but calmed myself, embarrassed that I'd been caught afraid, even if it was just me alone. I had a family to protect, no time to feel fear. Charlemagne hopped onto the table and I gave in to petting him. Despite how much I hated the damn thing, I had to hand it to him, he was a good friend when it came to being alone in the night. Though Tobillo would always be my favourite, and although we shared a bond, he was too loud, always talking over me. Silly as it sounded to me, I liked to think Charlemagne listed to me. Just not when it came to telling him to get off the counter. He began to purr as I scratched behind his ear.

"What's goin' on in your head, hmm? What do you think about?" I asked aloud, not sure what I was expecting in response.

He bumped his head into the palm of my hand and I gave him more affection, something that neither of us would ever let anyone else see. In the public eye we hated each other. But at night we had a bond.

I heard the creaking of stairs, knowing by the lightness of the footing that it could only be Pip. Yet still I tensed, the noise of the footsteps drawing nearer and nearer to the kitchen door. I finished my beer, pushing the chair back beneath the table, pressing my back into the side of the counter. It's Pip, it's Pip, it's Pip, it's Pip. It's just my baby, Philip. Adrenaline flooded my system anyway. _What if it's not? What then? What do you do? What if it's not Pip? What if it's a threat? What do you do then? _

"Daddy?" He said, his voice trembling slightly as he opened the door.

I dropped down to his level, wiping tears from his cheeks as quickly as they came, "hey. Hey, what's wrong, baby?"

"I had a bad- a bad dream. And I need- I need a daddy hug," he hiccupped, pulling me closer to him.

I wrapped my arms around my boy, holding him tight as he sobbed. A lot of the previous dread ebbed away in the background of my reality as I tended to him, looking after him. Charlemagne rubbed against Philip and he reached out between our hug to stroke him. I pretended to pull a face at the very idea of associating ourselves with the 'demon-cat'. Pip giggled and just like that I felt better. He was okay. He wasn't hurt, he'd just had a bad dream. He would be okay.

I sat him on top of the counter, brushing his hair behind his ears. I warmed enough milk for the both of us on the stove, making promises to my son that it would be the best hot cocoa yet. And I intended to keep that promise. He kicked his feet out, drumming on the cupboard doors. I felt better with him around, even if it was selfish of me; him being up so late wasn't fair on him.

"Hot cocoa and Harry Potter sound to you, Philip?" I asked, adding cream and bits of broken chocolate to his favourite, freshly-filled Spiderman mug. I threw on some marshmallows and caramel sauce just to ensure it was the best drink ever to cheer him up, to cheer both of us up really.

"Uh huh. We're up to the one with the games."

"Games? Oh, you mean Goblet of Fire with the Triwizard Tournament stuff. I love that one."

"You say that every time."

I shrugged, "and every time it's true. C'mon, let's do this thing."

I helped him off the counter and he ran into the living room, sitting down in the big armchair. I followed behind, bringing both drinks. I found the book on the shelf, bookmark still in the same place from months ago. He moved himself so that we could both sit on the chair, him nuzzling his head into my chest with a face full of chocolate already. I smirked at him and drank some of my own.

"Okay, okay, don't get chocolate on the book. You ready?"

"Yeah. Read the story."

I cleared my throat and opened the book, "right. Okay, chapter twenty-seven: Padfoot Returns."

"I like Sirius," he mumbled around a mouthful of marshmallows.

"Yeah? He's pretty cool, huh?" I agreed, happy we got to enjoy Padfoot before book five. I wasn't ready for that loss just yet. "'One of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that everybody was very keen to hear details of what had happened down in the lake, which meant that for once Ron was getting to share Harry's limelight.'"

"Good for Ron."

"Yeah, good for Ron."

"He deserves it. 'Cause he's as good as Harry. Doesn't matter where he came from. I think they should be the same."

I drank from my hot cocoa and smiled, "when did you get to be so smart, hmm?"

He shrugged his shoulders and tapped the page impatiently. I rolled my eyes - in a loving way, of course - and continued to read. I read until my voice was hoarse and my eyes stung from the strain of having no rest. Philip had fallen asleep a while ago and I'd made sure to mark the page he'd fallen asleep at. But I continued to read. I put the book down and rested my eyes for a moment. Just for a second.

"Are you two gonna get up or what?"

My eyes blinked open grudgingly, wanted to sleep for at least another decade. Philip gripped my shirt tighter, just as reluctant as me. Alex shook his shoulder in a playful way.

"C'mon, baby. It's Sunday. I've made pancakes. You love pancakes."

He grumbled in a way that sounded so much like Alex I had to bite my tongue to not comment on it. I'd missed them so much. I tickled Philip where I knew it would get up and laughed as he squirmed and giggled. He pushed my chest playfully, calling me 'silly' and getting out of the chair. I didn't think I was ready to do the same just yet. I'd slept on this chair before and I wasn't looking forward to the terrible back pain I was about to experience. Alex handed me a freshly made tea and I thanked him with a kiss on the hand.

He creased his brow, "why were you two down here?"

I grimaced, "Philip had a nightmare. I thought hot cocoa and a book would be a good solution."

"And you?"

I shrugged, "couldn't sleep."

Alex helped me out of the chair as I gripped his shoulder, the pain rushing to the centre of my spine. It would be fine once I was up. We made our way into the kitchen where Alex had made pancakes, as he'd said. They looked good. I wish I knew how he made them so good. It wasn't fair. I wanted to know his secret. I thought over a decade of marriage would have convinced him I could know the secret. Apparently I was wrong. And I let him know how desperately I wanted to know every Sunday.

"Lexi?" I started.

He bit into his breakfast without flicking his eyes up to me, "nope. Not telling."

"Please?"

"Absolutely not."

I sighed, "fine, tell me or I want a divorce."

"Go ahead. I'm not telling."

"You're mean."

"You love it."

"I do. Almost as much as I'd like to know-"

"Hey, Pip? What do you want to do today?" Alex cut off my failing attempts.

Philip pondered the question as he chewed his pancakes, "I wanna build a fort."

My eyes lit up and my inner child was released before my beautiful, wonderful husband had a chance to stop it.

"That's a great idea, baba. I say we do that straight after breakfast."

He cheered and ate quicker. Alex kicked me under the table, smirking at me even though he looked seriously concerned about what was going to happen to his house.

I dumped the dishes in the sink - we could wash up later, more important tasks awaited - and pulled out all of the blankets and pillows I could find. I made a pile of them on the living room floor and went back to the kitchen for some dining room chairs. Alex sat at the table with his newspaper and coffee, judging me.

"You're such a child."

"You know I make the best forts," I insisted, smiling to myself as I dragged the chairs away from the table.

I set up the chairs, hands on hips as I thought about our next move.

"Okay, Pip. Ready? You're gonna wanna drape all the blankets from chair to chair. Use the sofa, use the armchair, use whatever. We're gonna make the best fort."

"Les'go!"

"Les'go."

We set off to work, throwing blankets over chairs, finding the perfect balance to make sure it didn't collapse on us. I worked on the blankets and Philip went inside the fort, placing pillows down and adding flashlights so that we could see. When we'd finished, we both sat back in the den and sighed happily.

"I have an idea, baby."

He cuddled into my arm, "what?"

"Why don't we get Papi to come in and we can watch movies all day in the fort?"

"Yeah!"

I called for Alex and he brought his laptop, struggling at first to get to us. He chuckled to himself, complaining that he wasn't as young as he used to be. We helped him get to the 'sitting bit' of the den. He leaned on my shoulder, Pip hugging my side, and we put on movie after movie. Binging all that our Netflix account had to offer. Content to be with the two people I loved the most. Even if it killed my back.


End file.
